Originally published at: NASA to power down the mighty Voyager space probes | Boing Boing
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Maybe they’re being shut down, or maybe they’re enjoying a mid-life crisis and decided to buy a convertible and check out some other galaxies? Mid-forties is a tough age.
Seriously, though, what an amazing example of human curiosity and ingenuity. It’s an amazing accomplishment.
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Soon it will become self aware and we all know what happens next
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These are spectacular.
They serve as a great reminder that wonders exist, and that there is so much more than the muck, mire, and strife of our local (i.e., planetary) reality .
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Much of my childhood was wrapped around the age of planetary exploration, with the Voyager missions and Viking landers and others. Going to be a sad day when they finally stop reporting back to earth. So much amazing work and revelations provided by these remarkable probes.
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“was i a good probe?”
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Remember the good ole plutonium days. Sure don’t make em like they used to.
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Godspeed, Voyagers. You made the world a better place and showed what we can do when we stop fighting each other for a little while.
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I’m also prone to anthropomorphize animals and machines, but that comic makes me think of what an emotional thing this must be for the scientists who’ve been working with these probes for so long!
I hope they get to celebrate in some way, like a wake.
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They do have the rovers play happy birthday to themselves every year.
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Gawd. In one way, that’s really sweet. But in another, it’s so, so sad picturing the rover all alone, in the cold, desolate landscape, hearing that tune and waiting for a cupcake with a candle on it.
A cupcake that never comes. 
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No cupcake, but here is Munroe’s happier take on probes…and one that I think anthropomorphizes them in a way closer to their real purpose.
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And they’ll have to power them all the way down soon, too. Before they run into the wall.
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Such awesome engineering and science.
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Elon will bring one! /s
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Thanks! I love it!
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I’m not crying, I’ve just got a microclimate around my eyelids, with a high chance of precipitation.
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